ODJFS, ODVS Tour Electrical Trades Center of Central Ohio

Apprenticeship Opportunities, Services for Vets Spotlighted

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) Director Matt Damschroder today joined Ohio Department of Veterans Services (ODVS) Director Deborah Ashenhurst in touring the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Electrical Trades Center of Central Ohio. The tour, held in conjunction with National Apprenticeship Week and Hire-a-Vet Month, highlighted the benefits of apprenticeships to those looking to build a career, and particularly to veterans.

"Apprentices earn while they learn, and when they complete their programs, they earn an average of $72,000 a year, receive a nationally recognized credential, and have the skills they need to build lifelong, satisfying, good-paying careers," Damschroder said. "For employers, apprenticeships are an excellent way to build a skilled, highly motivated workforce, trained to industry specifications."

Ohio ranks third in the nation and first in the Midwest in the number apprentices, with more than 21,400 enrolled. Ohio has 319 occupations that offer apprenticeships, in fields as diverse as aerospace, construction, energy, health care, manufacturing, computer programming and more. With more than 700,000 veterans, Ohio is home to the fifth-largest veteran population in the nation.

"Apprenticeships are an excellent option for transitioning service members or veterans looking to build their skillset for many high-demand careers," Ashenhurst said. "Being able to use their GI benefits to cover program costs allows them to focus on what's important while they transition, providing the opportunity they've earned to launch a successful career as a civilian."

The Electrical Trades Center has 27 veteran apprentices training to work as electricians or teledata installer-technicians. Apprentices earn wages while working alongside journeymen and learning an in-demand trade. They also receive classroom instruction to help ensure their safety and advance their industry knowledge and skillset.

ODJFS oversees ApprenticeOhio, which registers programs that meet national criteria for quality and safety. Each ApprenticeOhio program is run by a sponsor: usually an employer, a group of employers or a labor/management committee. Apprentices learn skills needed for a job in the sponsor's industry through at least 2,000 hours of structured on-the-job training and 144 hours of classroom training, typically at a local college or university.

For more information about apprenticeship programs, visit Apprentice.Ohio.gov. Veterans receive priority of service at OhioMeansJobs.com and the state's local OhioMeansJobs Centers. Veterans can visit the website or their local center for help translating their military resume to a civilian resume, planning their careers, searching for jobs and more.

Earlier this year, Ohio launched a new resource page for servicemen and women and their families. For more information, visit the Military Members and Their Families web page.